CONCORD, N.C.—Mark Martin is known as a physical fitness guru and workout warrior, and now he'll get a chance to help his Michael Waltrip Racing teammates get into better shape to perform their racing duties.

Martin is 54 and relishing the opportunity to help design the new gym at MWR.

"I'm really enthused and excited about what we're working on getting at MWR," Martin said during the Sprint Media Tour. "This has been a seven- or eight-month crusade to get the green light. … It's fun. It's my second passion."

Martin said the gym will be a work in progress for several months as they need to build a second story in the part of the building where the gym will be located and also are going to have an outside area for push sleds and other training.

"We needed a building (or) we needed room and we only got the green light on that six days ago," Martin said.

"The strength staff, the coaching staff, have an equipment list that I received this morning. I've been over it with them before. So now we have a layout of the equipment and we've done a layout of where it goes. But it takes a long, long time to build a state-of-the-art training facility."

While the MWR pit crew likely will be the main beneficiaries of the new gym, most racing organizations open their gym to all employees as well as drivers.

"We're going to have the best gym in NASCAR for our crew members," team co-owner Michael Waltrip said. "It will not only be our pit-crew members over the wall, the men and women that work at MWR will have a great place to work on their physical fitness and live a healthy lifestyle."

Martin wouldn't rule out the gym being named after him, and Waltrip told Martin: "You're a great role model for our folks and we appreciate that and looking forward to getting our new place all built so we can watch you lift."

Martin, who is 5-6 and 130 pounds, has recently changed his lifting routine and it has helped him add five pounds in the last three months and has him in the best shape of his life.

MWR driver Clint Bowyer, who said he tries to eat healthy but doesn't feel he needs a nutrition and workout program like Martin, is amazed when he looks at Martin.

"The only thing I've seen of Mark and his workout—and it kind of pisses you off—he comes into the competition meetings in a tank top and you're like, 'Whoa,' " Bowyer said. "He's a freak of nature and he's like 4-foot tall and a rock, and a hard rock.

"It's incredible to see that. He's so dedicated to it."

But will Bowyer, who is 33 and finished second in the Cup standings last year, ever use the gym after seeing the ripped Martin?

"Probably never," Bowyer said. "Weights are heavy. He told me he started working out in his 40s. I have some time to go. The last I noticed, that steering wheel is not near as heavy as those weights are.